London Fashion Week followed hot on the heels of NYFW’s political statement shows, with a strong message for self-care. Designers notably used soft swathes of fabric, oversized knitwear and child-like nostalgia for Autumn/Winter ’17 – what better way to protect oneself from these tumultuous times…
Take Comfort
Mulberry took on quilted ankle-length equestrian blankets at London Fashion Week, whilst Preen’s models were swaddled in flower-strewn duvet coats and padded wraps. Designers took on the idea of cocooning, with oversized layers from the likes of Joseph, JJS Lee or Marques Almeida.
In Memory of Richard Nicoll
The late designer, Richard Nicoll, lives on in an official Pantone colour; a poignant tribute to the late designer, created by his closest friends including Roksanda Ilincic and Jonathan Saunders, Nicoll blue – a colour created to signify “his collections, the shirts he used to wear, the funny anorak he wore at college, the sky and of course, his eyes,” made its catwalk debut at Roksanda on Monday that opened the show. A fitting tribute to a man British fashion should never forget.
Cartoon Nostalgia
Mary Katrantzou delved into the wonderful world of Disney’s Fantasia for her Autumn/Winter 2017 collection, with a series of crystal-encrusted gowns and velvet trouser suits, whilst London Fashion Week’s rising star Ryan Lo has collaborated with Hello Kitty: “I was born in Hong Kong so Hello Kitty was part of my everyday life. I went through the archives of their prints as I wanted to use Hello Kitty in an unexpected way – not just pictures of the cat or cherries that they are known for.” – Dramatic eyes, a plethora of prints and Kawaii influenced style dominated the catwalk.
Modern Velvet
Velvet isn’t going anywhere but has been updated for AW17 with a more lithe, tactile appearance to flatter any figure. Roland Mouret‘s homecoming was punctuated with elegant black velvet cut on the bias, whilst Peter Pilotto, Erdem and Mary Katrantzou took on velvet prints. Then there was Emilia Wickstead, who cleverly manipulated fabrics to form what she called “velvet lace”.
